Partial support is requested to host the 7th Conference on the Molecular Biology of Hearing and Deafness. The conference will be held in Boston, MA in June, 2009. The aims of the conference are to: 1) promote research in emerging areas of molecular biology that have not been extensively applied to the auditory system;2) review progress in molecular biology related to hearing and deafness;3) facilitate interaction and collaboration between different laboratories engaged in molecular auditory research, as well as between basic scientists and clinicians;4) encourage translational research that can lead to diagnostics and therapeutics for the treatment of hearing disorders;and 5) provide outreach to patient advocacy groups and schools in the Boston area, with education on the genetics of deafness and hearing research. Speakers from outside of the auditory system will address applications of high-throughput sequencing, computational genetics and the HapMap project, molecular evolution and disease mapping, recent advances in molecular biology of the visual system, as well as additional topics. Auditory sessions will include, but are not limited to: molecular genetics;epigenetic mechanisms;development;integrated gene function;the molecular basis of hearing and vestibular disorders;genetic screening and gene therapy;and regeneration. Support is requested to offer scholarships for minority attendees and trainees, defray the travel costs of some invited participants, and support other costs associated with hosting the conference. Project Narrative: Partial support is requested to host the 7th Conference on the Molecular Biology of Hearing and Deafness. The Conference will be held in Boston, MA in June, 2009. Topics of the Conference include, but are not limited to: molecular genetics and gene mapping of inherited deafness;mutational heterogeneity and deafness phenotypes;families of functionally related deafness genes;complex genetics in inherited deafness;molecular regulation of auditory development;genetics of cell phenotype in the inner ear;molecular basis of hair cell transduction;central auditory system;auditory tissue specific gene activity and expression profilin;cochlear damage, regeneration and repair;molecular diagnostics of deafness mutations;molecular biology of otologic disease: etiology and therapy.